Installation for fully automatic operation in laundry and other physicochemical processes, mainly for washing machines



March 26, 1963 E DHOOGE 3,083,273

INSTALLATION FOR FULLY AUTOMATIC OPERATION IN LAUNDRY AND OTHERPHYSICO-CHEMICAL PROCESSES, MAINLY FOR WASHING MACHINES "filed May 2,1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Emile /)'Ho05e hamwg wx ATT RNEijS March 26, 1963E. D'HOOGE 3,083,273

INSTALLATION FOR FULLY AUTOMATIC OPERATION IN LAUNDRY AND OTHERPHYSICO-CHEMICAL PROCESSES, MAINLY FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed May 2,1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 EmZ/e 0 Wooge.

hwhr/w March 26, 1963 E. DHOOGE INSTALLATION FOR FULLY AUTOMATICOPERATION IN LAUNDRY AND OTHER PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PROCESSES, MAINLY FORWASHING MACHINES Filed May 2, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet S Emd/e O'HccgeATTORNEEYS March 26, 1963 E. DHOOGE 3,083,273

INSTALLATION FOR FULLY AUTOMATIC OPERATION IN LAUNDRY AND OTHERPHYSICOCl-IEMICAL PROCESSES, MAINLY FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed May 2,1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 EVIL/d 0 l /005E.

m af git?! March 26, 1963 E. DHOOGE 3,083,273

INSTALLATION FOR FULLY AUTOMATIC OPERATION IN LAUNDRY AND OTHERPHYSICO-CHEMICAL PROCESSES, MAINLY FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed May 2,1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 5o 65 E III a,

PKODUC T 5 L 052 r iD/a E I ATTO I'LNELLS United States Patent O 3%.),273 INTALLATION FOR FULLY AUTOMATHC OPER- ATION IN LAUNDRY AND OTHERPHYSECO- CHEMICAL PRKJQESSES, MAENLY FOR WASH- ENG MACHKNES EmileDHoege, Ghent, Belgium, assigncr to Ateliers de Construction EmileBHoogc SRRL, Ledeberg, Belgium Filed May 2, 196%, Scr. No. 26,273 Claimspriority, application Belgium h/iay 12, 1959 5 Claims. (Cl. Nil-38) Thetendency toward automatic operation in all kinds of technical industrialprocesses, and mainly in the chemical and technological industries isgaining more and more ground. This extension of automatism does not onlytend to liberate a considerable labor force for more highly skilledduties, but also leads to considerable progress through the eliminationof uncertainties resulting from the human factor, which fact makes itpossible to conduct a process in a faultless way and in a manner whichis reproducible at any time, according to definite data which have beencarefully determined by previous theoretical and experimental analysis.These considerations also apply to the industries which deal with thetreatment of textiles and, among others, to laundries and similarconcerns, so that here too an effort has been made for de signingdevices capable of ensuring fully automatic regulation. On account oftheir very nature, these industries will most of the time have to dealwith a large variety of products and articles which all need specialtreatment, so that the machines and their operation must be designed inview of a possibility of quick and easy change-over from one automaticprocess to another which must follow an altogether different course. Itis moreover highly desirable that the number and the variety of variousprocessing programs which can thus be established be as large aspossible.

In laundry processes for instance, the first treatment consists inletting the linen soak some time either in cold or in tepid water inorder to dissolve the stains caused by albuminoid substances such asblood. This is followed by one or more washing operations with variousproducts. According to whether the linen is more or less soiled, theliquid used for the washing must be replaced a certain number of timesin order to avoid that the dirt which it contains should settle againonto the linen. The actual washing is followed by a rinsing process theobject of which is to clear the linen of the washing products and of thedirt which is still contained therein. Most of the time, this is donefirst with warm water, then with cold water, the number of rinsing bathsneeded amounting to four or more. i be bleached, with sodiumhypochlorite for instance, and then bl-ued, usually with ultra marineblue, this to compensate for a certain yellowing of the linen caused bythe washing process and to thus give the linen a fresher aspect.

In mechanized laundries, all these operations are performed in a singlemachine, the complete process taking between 30 and 60 minutes for whitelinen and from 35 to 45 minutes for coloured linen.

This example shows that in such processes a certain number of treatmentsof different length have to be applied, using various chemicals.

The object of the present invention is to design, in view of such likeprocesses, an installation by means of which it will be possible toperform the entire process in an altogether automatic way.

In order to be able to perform its work altogether automatically, themachine must be provided with devices While linen must moreover ice forintroducing into and removing from the bath the necessary liquids andchemicals, as well as with means for keeping at all times the bath atthe required temperature. For actuating aforementioned devices,provision must also be made for a system :of programming which willdetermine the number, the order and the duration of the successivephases of the treatment, and for operating the various means used ineach one of these phases.

I-f various duties must be performed by one and the same installation,such as that of treating a variety of articles, and/or treating the samekind of articles in different ways, the system of automatic programmingmust make it possible to preadjust the duration of successive phases andof the Whole process, as well as the various treatments which arespecific for each phase and the amount of products to be introduced atthe proper time.

This however complicates matters considerably, considering that for eachone of the successive phases it is not only the kind and amount ofproduct to be 'added which has to be determined, but also a combinationof operations each one of which can be chosen from a given number ofpossible operations.

It may be needed for instance, in the course of one particular phase, torenew the bath before adding another product, whereas in another phasesuch renewal is not necessary and it will do to add the new product tothe old bath. On the other hand, the amount of liquid in the washingtrough and its temperature may have to differ from one phase to thenext.

On account of the very nature of this kind of business, and due to thefact that the staff employed therein is practically ignorant of anythingconcerning mechanics and electricity, it is an essential requirementthat the setting of the controls be extremely simple to perform anddevoid of any special difficulty, to which must be added the furtherimperative requirement that a wrong setting of some control or othermust on no account lead to disaster. The installation must moreover beabsolutely reliable and be built so as to resist not only the corrosiveaction of certain gases and vapours, but also a certain amount of roughtreatment,

For ensuring smooth and troublefree working, some measure of visualchecking must also be provided which will make it possible to ascertainat a glance:

(l) The nature and duration of each of the successive phases of therunning process and,

(2) The time which has elapsed since the beginning of the process inquestion.

These facilities are especially of great importance when experimentingwith a new process or the use of the new products. It follows therefromthat a possibility should be provided for interfering manually with apredetermined and preadjusted program, by extending, by shortening, byrepeating or by omitting one or several phases.

Finally, another aim to be attained is to design the whole of thecontrolling devices as a single compact unit which can be quickly andeasily fitted and connected to existing washing machines.

All these conditions are fulfilled by the controlling mechanism to whichthe preference has been given in the present invention and which ischaracterized by the fact that it comprises at least: a part which,during normal operation, moves with uniform speed; a distributing devicecomprising a certain number of fixed switching points, and also couplingdevices which can be fitted in such Way to or onto aforesaid part whichmoves with uniform speed, that this part is temporarily connected atcertain predetermined time intervals to aforesaid distributing device inorder to move the latter to its next switching point.

Aforesaid distributing device is connected in such way spasms to thedevices which control the process, that in each one of its positions apredetermined combination of aforesaid controlling devices,corresponding to the particular process which has been chosen, is beingoperated in a predetermined order. q

The distributing device may be either a pneumatic or hydraulic system,so that the devices controlling the process are themselves operatedeither pneumatically or hydraulically, but preference is given howeverto an electric switching device by means of which the various devicescan be operated electrically or electro-magnetically. In the same wa thecoupling between the part which moves with uniform speed and thedistributing device can be operated by electrical, pneumatic orhydraulic means, as. well as in a purely mechanical way.

According to another characteristic feature of the present invention,one or more further switching de vices are inserted in the trajectory ofthe coupling devices,

so that, during the time interval in which the part mov ing with uniformspeed is coupled to the distributing device by means of one of thecoupling devices, the actual coupling device actuates simultaneously oneor several of aforesaid auxiliary switching devices. To this effect, usecan be made of distinct coupling devices of various forms and dimensionswhich, when they act as coupling elements, operate various combinationsof aforesaid auxiliary switching devices, in accordance with aforesaidforms and dimensions. Preferably, one of these auxiliary switchingdevices is being operated while the distributing device passes to itsnext position, and this as long as the switching operation lasts,aforesaid switching device then actingin such way on the controllingdevice that the latter is rendered inoperative during this time. One ormore of the further switching devices which may or may not be operatedduring the travel of the distributing device, this operation ornon-operation depending on the shape and the dimension of the couplingdevices being used, can be made to conrtol certain operations, such asthe emptying of the washing trough, which, if they must be performed,must be finished before the beginning of a new phase of the treatment.Finally, one of aforesaid auxiliary switching devices can be used forending the whole process and, if found desirable, for switching-on anacoustic warning signal.

According to another characteristic feature of the present invention,the distributing device is coupled to the controlling system-through aprogram selector by means of which it is possible to pre-set at will,the various controls which must be operated in each position of thedistributing device, according to the requirements of the goods whichare being treated.

'For easy introduction of the necessary chemicals, the machineconforming to the present invention, is fitted with a funnel ofcorrosion-free material, connected to the washing trough and on top ofwhich there is a set of small containers for the various chemicals,which containers can be tipped-over by means of an electro-magnetictrigger so as to pour their content into the funnel.

Aforesaid characteristic features, as well as numerous constructionalfeatures of the installation conforming to the present invention, willappear more clearly from the description of an embodiment, given belowby way of example with reference to the appended drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a simplified, diagrammatic perspective view of a completemachine, such as a washing machine, to which the control systemconforming to the present invention has been applied and connected;

FIG. 2 represents on a larger scale a perspective front view of theswitchbox with timing device and program selector, which is part of thecontrolling device conforming to the present invention;

:FIG. 3 is a cros -section of the timing device with the distributiondevice and the auxiliary controlling devices;

FIG. 4 is a front view representing in a very much simplified way, theconstant speed timing disc for adjusting the duration of successivephases, part of the edge of aforesaid disc having been omitted forillustrating the way in which the plugs screwed into this disc work inconjunction with the distributing device and the auxiliary controllingdevices;

FIG. 5 is a diagram explaining the setting of the program selector,showing by way of example, a given program for a washing cycleencountered in actual practice;

FIG. 6 shows, but in a still simpler way, the disc represented in FIG.4, onto which an indicating dial has been fitted, which dial is dividedinto sectors corresponding to the position of the various couplingdevices and mention at the same time the succession of phases such asthey have been set according to the program represented in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a side view of a diagrammatic representation of thecontrolling system conforming to the present invention, showing at thesame time the inlet and outlet pipes and valves, as well as thepneumatic operation of the latter, and the funnel with the cups forchemicals mounted on top;

Finally FIG. 8 is a wiring diagram of the electrical part of thecontrolling device.

FIGURE 1 shows by way of example a washing machine to which has beenfitted a system conforming to the present invention for automaticallycontrolling the washing process according to a pre-set program. As shownin this figure as well as in FIG. 7, this installation comprises aswitching box 1 onto which is also fitted the setting disc 2 foradjusting the duration of the successive phases of the process, as wellas the program solector 3 and the funnel 4 for introducing thechemicals, connected by a pipe 6 to the bottom of the outer trough, ofthe washing machine.

Above the funnel 4 which is made of some corrosion resistant material,such as stainless steel or plastics, but preferably of galvanized sheetiron, there are several (six on the figure) small cups 5 made ofplastics and mounted on pivots supported by Bakelite brackets and intowhich, at the beginning of each washing process, the variouschemicalsare introduced which will have to be added in succession to the washingbath during the various phases of the process. Each of these cups isnormally kept in equilibrium by a locking device which can be releasedby an electro-magnet 7 so as to tip over and thus pour its contents intothe funnel. Each time when one of these cups is tipped and thus poursits contents into the funnel, a certain amount of water is made to flowinto the latter so as to wash away the chemical in question and tointroduce it into the washing trough. Each one of these elec tro-magnets7, marked in FIGS. 7 and 8 by the Roman figures i to VI, can thus, aswill be explained in fuller dctail below, be operated individually atpredetermined times by the program selector working in conjunction withthe setting disc so as to introduce at the proper moment the requiredamount of chemicals into the cycle, aforesaid products being referred toby the same corresponding Roman figures in FIG. 5.

As shown more particularly in FIGURE 7, the washing machine comprises acold water inlet 8, a warm water inlet 9 and a steam inlet 10, each ofthese inlets being; also controlled by a valve 11-12-13 respectively.Each of these valves is in turn operated by compressed air via, thepipes '151416 respectively each of which is controlled by a three-waycock 181719 respectively 0perated by electro-magnets, also shown in thediagram of FIG. 8. The drain pipe 20 of the machine is normally keptclosed by the compressed air cylinder 21, connected by a pipe 22controlled by a three-way cock 23 actuated by an electromagnet, to asource of compressed air which has not been represented. When theexciting current which controls aforesaid three-way cock 23 is switchedon, the latter releases the air from the pressure cylinder 21,

which causes the drain pipe 21 to open rapidly. As soon as the excitingcurrent of aforesaid electro-magnet is switched-off, the three-way cock23 returns to its original position, the result of which is that pipe 22is again put under pressure and that aforesaid drain opening is closed.

In order to adjust the liquid level in the washing tub, the machine isalso provided with a float controlled device 24- connected to aforesaidwashing tub by pipe 36 and fitted in such way that it is possible toadjust the amount of liquid contained in the tub to two differentlevels. Float 25 is fastened to the end of the float rod 26 whichcarries two stop rings 27 and 23 respectively, which rings can be setfor adjustment of the lower level and of the higher level respectively.Aforesaid stop rings work in conjunction with a lever 29 pivoting at 30,so that when the float has come down to the lower level, stop 27 pushesdown lever 29, causing the latter to operate a microswitch 32 mountedbelow the lever, whereas when the upper level has been reached, it isstop 28 which acts on the latter and pushes it upwards, thus operating amicroswitch 3-1 mounted above aforesaid lever.

This same FIG. 7 also shows in a very diagrammatic way, thermostaticswitches 33, '34 and 35 located in the washing tub of the machine,aforesaid thermostats being set to different temperatures of 60, 90 C.respectively for instance, i.e. in such way that the contacts marked bythe same figures in FIG. 8, close as soon as the temperature of the bathexceeds 40", 60, 90", respectively.

Thus, the washing machine which has been chosen by way of example forillustrating an embodiment of the present invention, is provided withall the necessary controls for ensuring automatically the regular courseof a complete washing cycle in a number of predetermined phases ofpredetermined durations, the addition of the various washing products,the introduction of either cold or warm water, the heating by steam to apredetermined temperature and the emptying of the washing tub, allaccording to a definite pre-set program.

This does not exclude numerous further possibilities which are allcomprised within the scope of the present invention. So for instance itis possible to use other means of compression than compressed air, todesign an electrical control by means of servo-motors or otherwise, oralso a direct control by purely mechanical means. It is evident on theother hand, that the various devices which have been mentioned above maydiffer with respect to their shape, their dimensions and their relativepositions as represented in the figures.

The following account will comprise a description of the various meansused for actuating aforementioned controlling devices according to adefinite pre-set program. This account will be based on an example ofembodiment which offers the following possibilities:

Maximum number of phases included in the treatment:

Full time taken by a complete cycle: max. 60 minutes. Shortest timeinterval: 1 minute. At the end of each phase, the control is stopped fora length of time of approximately seconds. During this stop, the user isgiven free choice between the following alternatives:

(1) Leaving the bath as it is, (2) Draining the bath, (3) Terminatingthe whole process and switching-on an acoustic warning signal.

In each one of the phases of the process, ehere is a choice between thefollowing possibilities:

(a) Cold or warm water.

(b) High or low level in the tub.

(c) No steam heating, or steam heating up to 40,

60 or 90 C.

(d) Six different washing products (I VI).

On the other hand, it will be appreciated that for otherphysics-chemical process to which the system conforming to the presentinvention can also be applied, quite a number of other combinations andpossibilities can arise, which can however be controlled in analtogether similar way according to a definite pre-set program.

The mechanism used for adjusting the duration of the successive phasesof the process, i.e. the timing device which is partly visible in FIGS.1 and 2, is represented separately in vertical cross-section in FIG. 3.This mechanism comprises first of all a driving device revolving at apredetermined constant speed, such as synchronous motor 37, connected bya worm gear 3839 to a shaft 40 revolvingin a fixed bearing 42.. Therotational speed of the motor, as well as the reduction ratio arecalculated in such way that aforesaid shaft 40 makes one completerevolution in a predetermined time equal to the longest duration of acomplete washing process, i.e. in exactly sixty minutes in the presentillustrative example. Near its other end, aforesaid shaft 40 carries apart 2, generally shaped as a circular disc, which can turn loosely onthis shaft but can also be rigidly connected to the latter when it isclamped between a knurled nut 44 secrewed onto the end of the shaft, anda flange 45 fastened to the shaft. Aforesaid disc-shaped part, i.e. thesetting disc 2 which is also represented in FIGS. 1 and 2, has near itscircumference a certain number (sixty in this particular instance) ofequally spaced tapped holes 46 whose centers lie on a circumferencewhich is concentric with the axis of the disc. As in this particularexample one complete revolution of the shaft is effected in sixtyminutes, it is self-evident that the interval comprised between twoadjacent holes will be travelled-through exactly in one minute.

Plug-s 47 can be introduced and fastened into aforesaid holes 46, forinstance by screwing, so that, while the disc 2 is turning, these plugscome successively into contact with a small sprocket wheel 48 providedwith as many teeth as there are phases in the complete process, i.e. tenin this particular instance. Aforesaid plugs act in such way on thesmall sprocket wheel that the latter moves exactly by one tooth at eachpassage of a plug.

Immediately below and behind the small sprocket wheel 43, the actuatingparts of one or more micro-switches 49, 50, 51 mounted one behind theother are located in the path of aforesaid plugs 47. The couplingbetween disc 2 and the sprocket wheel 48 is effected by means ofdissimilar plugs which, according to their length, actuate during theirtransit and whilst engaging the sprocket wheel in question, one, two orthree of the micro-switches. For easy identification of the plugs ofdifierent lengths, the

latter are provided in front i.e. on their heads, with clearly visiblemarkings, being for instance painted in different colours. As will beexplained in the description given below, the short plugs which onlycome into contact with micro-switch 4-9, merely disconnect thecontrolling device during the transit from one phase to the next; theplugs of medium length, which come into contact with the twomicro-switches 49 and 50, also trigger the drainage of the bath, whereasthe long plugs furthermore control the devices which stop the wholewashing process and give rise to an acoustic warning signal. The smallsprocket wheel 48 is fastened to the shaft 52 of a ten positionswitching or distributing device which, in this particular instance,consists of a small fixed base plate 53 of some insulating material,carrying concentrically to the shaft 52, on the one hand a continuousslip ring 54, see FIG. 4, and on the other hand a circle of mutuallyinsulated contact studs 55. A contact bloc or arm 56 fastened to shaft52 carries two brush-holders 5758 fitted with spring-loaded carbonbrushes 6061 respectively, of which one '(viz.- brush 61) is kept intocontact with the slip-ring 54, whereas the other (viz. brush 60) comessuccessively into contact with each one of of the contact studs 55corresponding to one of the ten positions of the distributing device.The contact arm 56 is made of insulating material, while the two carbonbrushes 60 and 61 are 7 connected electrically together by any suitablemeans which need not be described, so that when the little sprocketwheel 48 has made one complete revolution, the slip ring has been put insuccession into contact with each one of the separate contact studsarranged on the outer circumference. The angular position of contact arm56 with respect to the little sprocket wheel 48 is such that brush 60 iseach time centered exactly onto one of the contact studs'SS before andafter one of the plugs 47 has been moving the sprocket wheel 48 by onetooth.

As during the rotation of the small sprocket wheel there is always atleast one of the micro-switches 4950 and 51 which is actuated, theelectrical connection can be made as follows: as can be seen in thewiring diagram of FIG. 8, during the whole displacement of brush 60, thetransit from one contact stud 55 to next is performed in the absence ofcurrent, thereby preventing all sparking.

By unscrewing l'llllt t4, the setting disc 2 can be made free of shaft46, after which aforesaid disc can be displaced by hand independently ofthe timing device, which is eifected by means of a nut 62 screwed onto aprojection of aforesaid disc, this nut serving at the same time to clampa cover 63 of some transparent material onto the setting disc 2. Betweenaforesaid transparent cover 63 and aforesaid disc 2, a dial made ofcardboard or of some similar material can be clamped, this dial havingpreviously been subdivided, by drawing or otherwise, into sectors as isrepresented in particular in FIG. 6, this division corresponding to theposition of the plugs in the peripheral holes and thus giving a visualindication of the Way in which the duration of the successive phases ofthe process has been adjusted. It may be convenient moreover to providethe various sectors of the dial with a summary indication of the variousoperations which take place during the various phases. Such indicatingdials can be prepared and printed beforehand for the most currentprocesses, and handed over to the user.

The selection of the various components of each of the ten possiblephases of the process is made by means of the program selector 3 which,as shown more clearly in FIG. 2, comprises a number of switches arrangedin ten rows and eleven columns in the instance chosen for this example.The switches of each row belong to the corresponding phase of theprocess, whereas the switches of a same column are all connected with asame function. This is represented diagrammatically in FIG. 5, where thefirst column refers to the hot water supply, the second column to thehighest level of liquid in the washing tub, the third, fourth, and fifthcolumns to the steam heating to temperatures of 40, 60 and 90 C.respectively, and columns 6 to ll to the six different chemicalscontained in the little cups mounted on top of the funnel. It

should be noted at this time, that this diagram is designed in such waythat if the switch which controls the hot water supply is notswitched-on, only cold Water will be supplied until the predeterminedlevel has been reached, whilst if aforesaid hot water switch is on, thecold water supply is cut-off. Similarly, it is always the lower levelwhich applies unless the switch controlling the higher level is on.

All these switches are single pole. All switches in a same column areconnected by one of their contacts and over a common lead to thecontrolling device corresponding to their function.

When a row of switches must be switched-on, i.e. at the beginning of thephase corresponding to that row, a voltage is applied to the othercontact of each one of these switches by means of a relay which closesits contacts during this particular phase. The switches of columns 1 toeach have been their own pair of contacts at the relay belonging totheir own row, whereas the switches of the six remaining columns, whichrefer to the introduction of the six chemicals, have altogether only onepair of contacts at the relay belonging to their row. The result of thisdisposition is that as long as-the relay of one particular row is notswitched-on, the five first switches of aforesaid row are mutuallyindependent. This is necessary in order to avoid that two or more of thevertical control leads, each of which is in a measure to actuate acontrol device, might be interconnected in a permanent way, which couldgive rise to the drawback that the corresponding controlling functionswould always be effected together even when this is not required. So forinstance, if in the course of operation 1 the first and second switcheswere combined, and if in operation 4 the second and third switches werecombined, the result would be that in both cases in a combination of thefunctions corresponding to the first, second and third switches would beobtained. This same precautionary measure is however not strictly neededin the six last columns, considering that, in a general way, not morethan one chemical will be added in the same phase, so that there willnever be more than one of the switches which will be on in each row.However, if on account of the design of the mechanism for introducingthe chemicals or of the particular nature of the physical process, thenecessity should arise in certain cases to actuate several times a givencontrolling device, each time in combination with another controllingdevice, the necessary devices should also be provided here forpreventing that the contacts of each row be mutually disconnected bymeans of individual pairs of contacts at the relay belonging to thatrow.

After all, it is not necessary to provide a complete set of switches ineach row. If a switch is omitted here and there, and more particularlyin the columns referring to the chemicals, as shown for instance inFIGS. 2 and 5, the possibilities of combination are certainly limitedthereby, but this will generally not prove to be a serious handicap inpractice.

FIGURE 5 shows in a diagrammatic way, the position of the switches inconnection with a practical washing process, while FIG. 6 shows thecorresponding positions of the plugs 47 on the setting disc 2. FIGURE 6also shows the indicator dial which has already been mentioned and whichis divided into sectors each of which bears a brief indication of theoperation being performed at the time. This setting corresponds to thefollowing program:

Operation Steam Time in Water Level supplied Chemi- Min supply up to,cal utes no. name C.

Soaking. 1st lather. 2nd lather..- Rinsing. Bleaching..-

Rinsing. Rinsing. Blueing.

Stop...

Stop

Most of the time, numerous processes such as the one to which the abovetable refers, will take less than 60' minutes. In order to make itpossible to start a new cycle as soon as the preceding one, which lastedonly 50 minutes, is finished, the last part of rotation corresponding tothe sector marked stop in FIGURE 6, must be travelled through at anaccelerated rate. This can be obtained, as was already described above,by disconnecting the setting disc from the driving shaft and then movingit by hand. Although, as in the present example, the complete processcomprises less than ten phases, it is necessary all the same to alwaysinsert ten plugs into the setting disc, because, when the latter hasmade one complete revolution, the distributing device will also havereturned to its original position. The plugs which are not needed forthe process which is being carried-out,

can be screwed into any of the holes of that part of the disc which isnot being used.

The operation of the installation which has thus been equipped, will nowbe described in detail with reference to the diagram of FIG. 8. Thisdiagram embraces the following controlling devices which have alreadybeen mentioned: the valves 18, 17, 1-9 for controlling the cold water,the warm water and the steam supply respectively; the float contacts3132 respectively for high and for low levels in the washing tub; thethenmostaltic contact devices 33, 34, 35; the electromagnets 7 whichcontrol the cups containing the chemicals; the synchronous motor 37; themicro-switches 49, 50 and 51 of which the one marked 49 operates at eachpassage of one phase to the next, whilst the two others can only beoperated by plugs of suflicient length; and finally the ten-positiondistributing device 5455 actuated by the setting disc by means ofaforesaid plugs. The diagram in question also embraces the followingauxiliary items: the rnain transformer VT the bell transformer t towhich is connected a generator of acoustic signals; a main switch 11; adoorand safety-switch a; the auxiliary relays R1, R2, R3, R4, eachfitted with one or more contacts marked respectively r1, r2, r3, r4; theauxiliary relays C1, C2, C10, each one of which is associated with oneof the positions of the distributing device and thus also with one ofthe rows of the program selector, whereby one of them, (viz. C3) isrepresented in FIG. 8 with all its contacts. In order to facilitate thereading of this diagram, the contacts have most of the time not beenrepresented near the coils but located at convenient places in thecircuit; the meaning of the symbols used for these contacts should benoted; all contacts which are normally open are represented by two shortparallel lines, whereas the contacts which are normally closed arerepresented by two short parallel lines, themselves crossed by a shortoblique line.

For starting the machine, the first thing to do is to close the mainswitch h, and then to make sure that all doors fitted with a doorcontact are properly closed. If everything is in order in that respect,the voltage supplied at the output terminals L1 and L2 of the mainstransformer VT will be applied through switch It and contact d, thenormally closed contact of micro-switch 51 and the normally closedcontacts r1, r2, r3 to the synchronous motor 37 which thus begins torun. This same voltage is also applied through the normally closedmicroswitch 49 and the distributing device S4-55, which at this instantis in position 1, to relay C1 whose armature is thereby attracted andcloses its contacts. Thus, the combination of controlling functionsneeded for phase 1 of the process has been established. If it be assumedthat for this first phase none of the switches are closed, this willhowever not prevent valve 17 which controls the cold water supply to beoperated through a normally closed contact r provided that the floatcontact 32 is closed, i.e. provided ihatlthe float is still lower thanthe predetermined lower eve Connected in parallel with the device 17,there is an auxiliary relay R1 to which the voltage is thus also appliedand which opens its contact r1. This stops the synchronous motor as wellas the rotation of the setting disc as long as the filling lasts, sothat the time used for filling the tub does not count for thedetermination of the duration of the phases. The same applies if it isthe warm water supply or the steam supply which is opened instead of thecold water supply.

As soon as the required level has been reached, so that lever 29 (FIGURE7) is no longer held downward by the stop-ring 27, microswitch 32returns to its position of rest, the addition of cold water ceases andrelay R1 is released, which starts the synchronous motor again.

When the predetermined time for the-first phase has elapsed, or in ageneral way, when a phase has come to an end, it is first of allmicroswitch 49 which is actuated by the plug 47 in operation at thetime. This causes relay C to release, thus cutting-01f the currentsupply of the switches belonging to the corresponding row of the programselector, as 'well as the controlling devices connected to theseswitches. If the plug in question was a short one, nothing else happensuntil, after a time interval of approximately 45 seconds, thedistributor has passed onto its next position and switch 49 has comeback to its starting point. If the plug was one of the medium length, avoltage is also applied by microswitch 50. to the valve 23 whichcontrols the drainage, so that the washing tub is emptied in a veryshort time, after which the next phase of the process can begin.

If when one of the relays C is energized through a closed switch in thecorresponding row, this closes the actuating circuit of device 18 whichcontrols the addition of hot water, so that clean hot water will be fedinto the processing tub at the same time that relay R2 connected inparallel with the device 18 will be energized, the result being that:(1), the synchronous motor 37 is stopped and (2), the device 17 whichcontrols the admission of cold water is thereby locked. This conditionlasts until the liquid level in the processing has reached the lowerpredetermined level. If it is the second switch in the row which hasbeen closed, it is relay R4 which will be energized, thus causingcontact 14 to close. The circuit controlling either the cold water orthe warm water inlet then no longer depends on microswitch 32, but onmicroswitch 31 instead, so that the inflow is not cut-off before thelevel in the processing tub has risen sufiiciently for switch 31 to beactuated by the stem of the float.

When one of the switches in the third, fourth or fifth column is closed,current flows through the thermocontacts 33, 34 or 35 to the device 19controlling the admission of the steam, which at the same time bringsrelay R3 into action, so that as long as steam is admitted, thesynchronous motor is at a standstill while aforesaid inlet of steam goeson until the processing bath has reached the required temperature andthe thermostatic switch opens. If two of the three switches close theircontacts at the same time, it is evident that it is the higher of bothcorresponding temperatures which must be reached before the supply ofsteam is cut-off, apart from which fact aforesaid inflow of steamdepends on the position of microswitch 32, it being understood howeverthat this inflow cannot take place if the liquid contained in theprocessing tub has not reached at least the lower pre* determined level.

When one of the switches in the six columns referring to the addition ofchemicals is closed, the corresponding electro-magnet 7 is energized andthe contents of the cup associated therewith is poured into the funnel.This also can not take place however, at least as far as the chemicalsIV, V and VI are concerned, unless the liquid contained in theprocessing tub has reached at least the lower predetermined level.

When at the end of the processing phase, a long plug 47 actuatessimultaneously microswitches 49-50 and 51 the current supply to thesynchronous motor 37 is cut-off, whereas voltage is applied to the belltransformer t with the result that the device S emits an acoustic signaluntil the main switch It has been opened.

What I claim is:

1. A timer device for timing the operation of a number of relaycontrolled devices, said device comprising a disc having a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced holes, coupling elements carried in some ofsaid holes, means rotating said disc at a constant speed, a group ofswitches, means supporting said switches alongside said disc in aposition wherein said switches lie in the path of movement of saidcoupling elements for actuating said switches, an other switch having arotary arm element, a plate, means supporting said plate in a fixedposition alongside said rotary arm element, said plate containing a slipring concentric with the axis of rotation of said rotary arm element,and a plurality of circumferentially spaced contacts disposed radiallyoutwardly of said slip ring, a conductor brush carried by said rotaryarm element and continuously engaging said slip ring, another conductorbrush carried by said rotary arm element and adapted to engage saidcontacts, a toothed sprocket wheel operatively connected to said rotaryarm element, means supporting said sprocket wheel adjacent said disc ina position wherein the teeth on said sprocket wheel lie in the path ofmovement of said coupling elements whereby said coupling elements engagesaid teeth for rotating said sprocket wheel, a source of electricity, aplurality of controlling relays, means electrically connecting saidbrush conductors to each other and to said source, and meanselectrically connectingeach-of said contacts with a different one ofsaid controlling relays.

2. A time device in accordance with claim 1 wherein each of saidcontrolling relays includes a plurality of make contacts which areconnected to said source by means of another manually actuatedmakecontact.

3. A timer device in accordance with claim 2 wherein said manuallyactuated make contacts are arranged in a plurality of rows and columns,the contacts in each row being connected to the same cont-rolling relay,the contacts in each column being connected to the same controlleddevice.

4. A timer device in accordance with claim 2 wherein at least one switchof said group of switches is actuated during each movement of thesecond-mentioned brush conductor from a position of engagement with oneof said contacts to a'position of engagement with the next succeedingcontact, said switch having a make contact which is connected to saidsource and to the make contacts of each of said controlling relays.

5. A timer device in accordance with claim 2 wherein said controllingrelays are connected to said contacts in such manner that saidcontrolling relays are operated in predetermined sequence.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,199,775 Bassett May 7, 1940 2,855,476 Garrard Oct. 7, 1958 2,861,138Simonsson et al Nov. 18, 1958 2,909,626 Enssle Oct. 20, 1959 2,928,911Willard Mar. 15,1960 2,939,336 Hetzer June 7, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS424,331 7 Great Britain Feb. 15, 1935 590,899 Great Britain July 31,1947 480,116 Canada Jan. 8, 1952 743,786 Great Britain Jan. 25, 1956

1. A TIMER DEVICE FOR TIMING THE OPERATION OF A NUMBER OF RELAYCONTROLLED DEVICES, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING A DISC HAVING A PLURALITY OFCIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED HOLES, COUPLING ELEMENTS CARRIED IN SOME OFSAID HOLES, MEANS ROTATING SAID DISC AT A CONSTANT SPEED, A GROUP OFSWITCHES, MEANS SUPPORTING SAID SWITCHES ALONGSIDE SAID DISC IN APOSITION WHEREIN SAID SWITCHES LIE IN THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF SAIDCOUPLING ELEMENTS FOR ACTUATING SAID SWITCHES, ANOTHER SWITCH HAVING AROTARY ARM ELEMENT, A PLATE, MEANS SUPPORTING SAID PLATE IN A FIXEDPOSITION ALONGSIDE SAID ROTARY ARM ELEMENT, SAID PLATE CONTAINING A SLIPRING CONCENTRIC WITH THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF SAID ROTARY ARM ELEMENT,AND A PLURALITY OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED CONTACTS DISPOSED RADIALLYOUTWARDLY OF SAID SLIP RING, A CONDUCTOR BRUSH CARRIED BY SAID ROTARYARM ELEMENT AND CONTINUOUSLY ENGAGING SAID SLIP RING, ANOTHER CONDUCTORBRUSH CARRIED BY SAID ROTARY ARM ELEMENT AND ADAPTED TO ENGAGE SAIDCONTACTS, A TOOTHED SPROCKET WHEEL OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID ROTARYARM ELEMENT, MEANS SUPPORTING SAID SPROCKET WHEEL ADJACENT SAID DISC INA POSITION WHEREIN THE TEETH ON SAID SPROCKET WHEEL LIE IN THE PATH OFMOVEMENT OF SAID COUPLING ELEMENTS WHEREBY SAID COUPLING ELEMENTS ENGAGESAID TEETH FOR ROTATING SAID SPROCKET WHEEL, A SOURCE OF ELECTRICITY, APLURALITY OF CONTROLLING RELAYS, MEANS ELECTRICALLY CONNECTING SAIDBRUSH CONDUCTORS TO EACH OTHER AND TO SAID SOURCE, AND MEANSELECTRICALLY CONNECTING EACH OF SAID CONTACTS WITH A DIFFERENT ONE OFSAID CONTROLLING RELAYS.